(17/07/2025)

Thank you to all our members who have been in touch with questions about the upcoming rebrand of IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment) to ISEP (The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals).

IEMA—short for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment—is the global professional body for anyone working in environmental sustainability. They've been around for over 25 years, supporting more than 22,000 members across 125 countries. But as the world of sustainability has evolved, so has IEMA.

Recognising that their name no longer fully captured the broad scope of their work, they decided it was time for a change. After extensive consultations with members—including surveys, workshops, and focus groups—they proposed a new name: the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP). In December 2024, members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new name, paving the way for a rebrand that will include a fresh logo and updated visual identity. This change reflects their expanded role in promoting green skills and supporting professionals across various sustainability sectors.

The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) brand launched to the public on 17 July. 

We understand that changes like this naturally raise important questions. Here’s what we know:

Will the rebrand affect my post-nominals (AIEMA, PIEMA, etc.)?

The new The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) suffixes will undergo a simple transition from IEMA to ISEP, with some variations.

  • AISEP - Associate
  • PISEP - Practitioner
  • MISEP – Full

The new suffixes should be used by members from 17 July.

Will course names change?

The names of The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) training courses will be slightly different to reflect the new brand, however the content will not change and anyone completing the course now (even before the official launch on 17 July), will be eligible to have the new course title on their certificate.

My certificate says IEMA. Is it still valid?

Yes – while there hasn’t been a specific statement, from our communication with IEMA we have confirmed that existing certificates remain valid.

When will certificates begin using ISEP?

If learners completed a training course on or after 8 January 2025 when IEMA legally changed its name to ISEP (registered at UK Government Companies House), learners will be automatically issued a PDF of their qualification certificate with the new ISEP brand.

If learners completed a training course before 8 January 2025, unfortunately IEMA cannot reissue qualification certificates under the new ISEP name because ISEP was not a legal entity before 8 January 2025.

Where can I find more updates?

For further information, please see The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) official website.

You can also check out our Root Cause Analysis podcast episode where we spoke with Martin Baxter, Deputy CEO of ISEP (formerly IEMA), where we discussed the rebrand and the organisation’s plans moving forward.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us: email [email protected] or call 0808 168 5874.